1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to an isolator for resisting transmission of shock and vibration forces between structures and, more particularly, to an isolator having an improved symmetrical response to shock and vibration forces exerted on the isolator from different directions.
2. Description of Related Art
Isolators for protecting a mounted item or load structure, such as an equipment cabinet, from shock or vibration forces exerted by another structure, such as a moving vehicle, are well known and have been used in many industrial and military applications. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,190,227 and 4,783,038 are exemplificative of elongated bar-shaped isolators having arched flexural elements that together provide a first spring characteristic response to shock and vibration forces along a longitudinal direction of a respective isolator, and a second, different spring characteristic response to such forces directed along a transverse direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,400 is an example of a one-piece, molded, elastomer or plastic isolator composed of multiple nested sections, the number of such sections being selected to achieve a desired spring characteristic response. European patent application No. 83108900.8 (Publication No. 0 124 640) discloses an isolator employing spirally wound and/or semi-circularly wound wire cables.